EUROPEAN

• Fernandez-Castano beats Westwood for British Masters title

  
  

  West Midlands, England (Sports Network) - Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano parred the third playoff hole Sunday to beat defending champion Lee Westwood and win the British Masters.

  The pair played the 18th at the Belfry for a third time and the duo both found the short grass. Fernandez-Castano hit a three-iron to the left fringe, but Westwood missed the putting surface left with his approach.

  Westwood was in thick rough and could only get his chip within 12 feet of the stick.

  Fernandez-Castano's putt narrowly missed and he tapped in for the par. Westwood had to drain his putt to extend the playoff another hole and could not, giving Fernandez-Castano the victory.

  The win was Fernandez-Castano's fourth on the European Tour and first since last year's Italian Open.

  "I have to say it's probably the best victory of the four," admitted Fernandez-Castano.

  "I'm really happy, and of course my main goal was to get into the last Volvo Masters in Valderrama, and I think I've done that. So I can't ask for any better than that." The third round was completed Sunday morning after play was stopped for darkness on Saturday. A few fog delays set the tournament back, but the final round was completed Sunday evening.

  Fernandez-Castano shot a five-under 67 in the final round, while Westwood managed a two-under 70. The pair finished regulation tied at 12-under 276 and returned to the course for the extra session.

  At the first playoff hole, the famous par-four 18th at The Belfry, both players hit the fairway, although Fernandez-Castano used a three-wood off the tee.

  His second with a five-wood stopped 15 feet from the stick, while Westwood pulled an eight-iron left of the green.

  Westwood elected to putt his ball from the rough and ran it eight feet past the stick.

  Fernandez-Castano's birdie effort missed by three feet. Westwood sank his par save and the Spaniard made his to head back to the tee.

  On the second playoff hole, Westwood found the fairway off the tee, while Fernandez-Castano's drive ran into the right rough. Westwood got a four-iron to the left fringe, but Fernandez-Castano hit the gallery and landed in the left rough short of the green.

  Fernandez-Castano hit his third to 10 feet and Westwood chipped down to two feet.

  Fernandez-Castano sank the clutch par putt, then Westwood kicked in his par save to force a third sudden-death hole.

  The Spaniard won on that hole to keep Westwood from being the first repeat champion since Greg Norman in 1982.

  "I just struggled with my swing all day and didn't feel under control at any point," said Westwood. "I just couldn't feel my swing.

  I hit a lot of poor iron shots." Former U.S.

  Open champion Michael Campbell shared the third-round lead with Westwood, but only managed an even-par 72 in the final round. He finished alone in third at minus-10.

  Mikael Lundberg shot a two-under 70 on Sunday and came in fourth at eight- under 280.

  Fernandez-Castano collected back-to-back birdies at four and five, but it was a three-foot birdie putt at the 10th that got him within one of Westwood, who missed a short birdie putt at the same hole.

  The Spaniard chipped in for a par save at the 12th, then rolled in a seven- foot birdie putt to match Westwood atop the leaderboard.

  Both players birdied 15 and Campbell got within one after a birdie at 17.

  On the closing hole, Westwood found the short grass and Fernandez-Castano drove into a fairway bunker.

  Westwood got his second onto the green, but Fernandez-Castano missed the putting surface.

  He got up and down for par and Westwood two-putted for par to set up the playoff. Campbell made bogey to cement his status in third.

  Charl Schwartzel (72) and Jeev Milkha Singh (73) shared fifth place at six- under 282.

  Magnus A. Carlsson (72), Ross Fisher (73) and Louis Oosthuizen (66) tied for seventh at minus-five.

  09/28 14:35:35 ET